Why we're taking our message to Westminster: Life isn't affordable and people cannot keep their heads above water

At The Bread and Butter Thing, we’re known for our food clubs, not for political stunts. But sometimes, when the reality on the ground is being ignored in Westminster, we must speak out, and raise our voices.

**Our stunt on the bank of the River Thames in Westminster**

That’s why we’re heading to Parliament. Not with placards and protest chants, but with a powerful visual of people barely keeping their heads above water. Because that's what life feels like for millions across the UK right now.

We work in the heart of communities operating 145 food clubs stretching from Maidstone to Northumberland helping families stretch their budgets while reducing food waste. We see the truth behind the headlines and behind the statistics.

Here’s the truth: life is not affordable.

The reality

Our latest member survey of nearly 10,000 people lays it bare:

45% have less than £50 left for the month after rent and energy bills.
61% are in debt; 42% of those got into debt just to cover daily essentials.
Only 34% of working-age people in employment could afford a £100 emergency expense.
27% have resorted to DIY dentistry because NHS treatment is unaffordable.
And despite working, many parents can't feed their families without help.

This isn’t a temporary blip. It’s a permanent state of struggle. The safety net has frayed to the point of uselessness. Our members - many of whom are working - are juggling childcare, bills, health challenges and rising costs, and they’re doing it alone.

From crisis support to prevention

What we do works. 81% of members say they get better food through our clubs than they could otherwise afford. Nearly half report improved diets, and more than two-thirds are skipping fewer meals. We’re helping 12,400 people reduce or stop their reliance on food banks.

But we’re not a replacement for a functioning system. We’re filling gaps. Gaps that are growing wider every day.

Why Westminster? Why now?

We’re taking our message to the doorstep of those with the power to fix this. Politicians must face the uncomfortable reality: we are not in a cost-of-living crisis; we are in a cost-of-surviving crisis.

This isn't just about food, it's about:

Auto-enrolling eligible children for free school meals.
Simplifying access to benefits.
Raising support thresholds so working families don’t fall through the cracks.
Recognising food clubs as essential, long-term infrastructure, not just charitable side projects.

Too many people are going under while the system shrugs.

Heads Above Water

At Westminster, we’ll be unveiling a powerful installation depicting the 3.2 million working people in the UK who are struggling to keep their head above water amid the cost-of-living crisis. When politicians won’t acknowledge the problem, we want to make it impossible to miss.

This is our call to action: Listen to the voices you don’t hear. Acknowledge the people you overlook. Act on the evidence.

People are not lazy. They're not broken. The system is. Let’s fix it.